UPDATED: Chombo, Chipanga granted bail

Harare Bureau FORMER Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo, who is facing a litany of corruption charges breathed a sigh of relief after the High Court granted him $5 000 bail yesterday.

Kudzanayi Chipanga, former Zanu-PF Youth leader, was also earlier on released on $500 bail.

In a judgment delivered last night, Justice Edith Mushore allowed the appeals by Chombo and Chipanga who were both represented by Professor Lovemore Madhuku.

Chombo had offered $2 000 for his bail, but Justice Mushore ordered him to pay $5 000 coupled with stringent conditions. He was also ordered to report three times a day to Marlborough police station between 6am-10am, 12pm-2pm and 4pm-6pm.

Chombo is also required to surrender travel documents, reside at the given address and not to interfere with state witnesses.

Further, the former minister is prohibited from visiting the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing ministry offices and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe until the matter is finalised.

Both Chombo and Chipanga are expected back at the Harare magistrates’ courts today for routine remand.

Chipanga, who is facing charges of making statements undermining public confidence in the military, was ordered to report twice a day at Borrowdale Police Station and to reside at the given address until the matter is finalised.

He is further required to surrender travel documents and not to interfere with State witnesses.

Chombo and Chipanga were arrested during “Operation Restore Legacy” last month during which the Zimbabwe Defence Forces announced they were targeting “criminals” around former President Robert Mugabe.

Among the serious charges Chombo is facing are violating Section 4(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Chapter 9:16) by allegedly conniving with Psychology Chiwanga, Rejoice Pazvakavambwa, Iben Fransisco, James Chiyangwa, Theresa Chenjerayi, Elias Choto and Lazarus Chimba to forge documents used to transfer a Glen Lorne, Harare, property from the Harare City Council to Alois Chimeri.